SWR Redhead + Speaker Cab Experience?

[dmwynn]

I just came into an awesome SWR Redhead (pre-Fender business). I've played it on tour for the last couple weeks and have considered adding a speaker cab to it (preferably a 4x10). I was wondering if anyone out there had any experience with this, either good or bad. Whether the amp tends to get extremely hot, or maybe it was a good pairing.

[MakiSupaStar]

I have one, and I run it with a Carvin 'red eye'. It's a great sounding head. Mine has a cooling fan switch, which just recently broke on mine, but it runs hot. Keep it ventilated.

[lowfreqgeek]

All the old (maybe new, I don't know) SWR amps get VERY hot without proper ventilation. My (redface) Bass 350 has been too hot to touch the chassis, but it kept on pumping out the bass. I recommend you don't let it get too hot. That's what the fan is for; mine was blocked in an old case I had, now no longer racked for that reason.

Otherwise, they are great amps. Maybe a little low on power compared to today's "super amps", but the 2-10 and an additional 4-10 would be PLENTY loud for most any gig.

[countrybass007]

I have a Silverado, and I use a SWR 210 cab for extra oomf.

[MuthaFunk]

I had one for a while and paired it with a golliath jr. It needed a compressor to get enough volume out for the gigs I was doing at the time because the peaks of aggressive playing would top out the speakers. It's nice that it has that rack space as you can put a decent compressor in there...

[dmwynn]

I've been using the rack space for a Stroborack, but a compressor is something I need to look into. I've a hard time finding out concrete info on the pre-Fender Redheads, I dunno if they have a cooling fan. I've always wanted an SM900, but was never able to pull the trigger because of the overheating issue. Why in the world have they not redesigned it, considering its popularity (good or bad)?

[yamaha]

Red Head + Big Ben is awesome. Red Head clarity & definition, + Big Ben's warmth & huuuuge lows.

[dmwynn]

Originally Posted by yamaha

Red Head + Big Ben is awesome. Red Head clarity & definition, + Big Ben's warmth & huuuuge lows.

That and the the Goliath 4x10 are my main considerations. No trouble with overheating?

[anonymous122511]

Originally Posted by dmwynn

That and the the Goliath 4x10 are my main considerations. No trouble with overheating?

Why would you want to split your power output between a 2X10 and a 4X10? With half your power going to two speakers and the other half going to four speakers the cabs may very well not play at the same volume. I'd very thoroughly and critically test drive any extension cab but especially a 4X10.

Also there's the heat issue. I used a single 15 with an original Redhead for a couple of years and had to have a fan installed to keep it from shutting down. Loved the sound but trying to get more out of it than it wanted to give on rock and blues gigs was a battle I got tired of fighting and eventually went back to a GK 800RB.

[dmwynn]

Originally Posted by jeff arddun

Why would you want to split your power output between a 2X10 and a 4X10? With half your power going to two speakers and the other half going to four speakers the cabs may very well not play at the same volume. I'd very thoroughly and critically test drive any extension cab but especially a 4X10.

Also there's the heat issue. I used a single 15 with an original Redhead for a couple of years and had to have a fan installed to keep it from shutting down. Loved the sound but trying to get more out of it than it wanted to give on rock and blues gigs was a battle I got tired of fighting and eventually went back to a GK 800RB.

I assumed that by hooking up an extension cab, it would take the impedance down to 2 ohms, which, in my experience, means the amp runs with more power (I used to own a Walkabout Scout, and using it with an ext. cab and running at 2 ohms drove its power up to 500 watts rather than the usual 300 watts running standalone). Although, you do make a good point about test-driving. I've been guilty of purchasing things based on opinion alone!

[lowfreqgeek]

Originally Posted by dmwynn

I assumed that by hooking up an extension cab, it would take the impedance down to 2 ohms, which, in my experience, means the amp runs with more power (I used to own a Walkabout Scout, and using it with an ext. cab and running at 2 ohms drove its power up to 500 watts rather than the usual 300 watts running standalone). Although, you do make a good point about test-driving. I've been guilty of purchasing things based on opinion alone!

Depends on the impedance of the extension cab and the internal speakers. If the internal speakers are 8-ohms (combined), and you add another 8-ohm 4x10, then you have 4ohms and each cab gets 1/2 the power. In that case, the 4x10 has to split that power 4 ways, instead of 2. If the 4x10 is 4ohm, you get 2.67 total and the 4x10 gets 2/3 the power, while the 2x10 gets 1/3rd. Now each driver gets the same power.

Best to just try it, if you can. Running the Redhead down at 2.67ohms is fine, but it WILL get hotter and may require more active cooling (like a fan, and an empty rack slot underneath it).

[Jim Carr]

Assuming the internal speakers total 8 ohms, I would add a 4 ohm goliath II. Those drivers (PAS) should be the same as the ones in your RedHead. You would have then a semi-modular SWR 350 with 6x10—all drivers getting equal power. The 350 can do it, but you will run out of gas is you don't leave the enhance off, cut bass and treble a hair, and bump the mids.

The compressor suggestion is a good one. Get an EBS Multicomp. Works well with that head and a passive bass.

[wyleeboxer]

I wouldnt worry to much about adding the 410 ext. cab based on it getting less power then the 210's, the extra speaker area from the 410 will put out plenty more lows and volume while getting less power then the internal 210's.

Also, running a 4 ohm ext. cab is not a problem with these amps, I have an old 350 redface and I run it at 2 ohms all the time... yes it gets hot, but that's what the aluminum chassis is designed for, to act as an external heat sink. Bullet proof amps!

[Basslice]

I have one of the original Redheads - 240 W. I bought an Eden 4x10 and would run like that for bigger venues. No real problems, other than I blew the piezo in the SWR once.

I note that the amp did run very hot.

[Gougedeye]

Just to echo what everybody else has said here...I had a 97' Redhead and ran it at 2 ohms all the time and it never gave me a moments hesitation. I used a Big Ben, Triad, Goliath. they all worked great!